Vigor Industrial asks AIDEA for Ketchikan Drydock

Pacific Northwest ship and drydock titan hopes for decision by March

Ketchikan’s shipyard could soon become part of a Pacific Northwest shipbuilding and drydock titan. Vigor Industrial has asked the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority to approve bringing the Alaska Ship and Drydock into the Vigor corporation.

With Ketchikan, Vigor would employ 2,000 at seven drydocks in the Pacific Northwest, Ketchikan, Port Angeles and Seattle Washington to Portland Ore., according to the company’s press release.

The shipyard and drydock company said it set a goal to finalize an agreement of March 1.

Vigor offers a full host of services for government, military, research and private customers. The company builds its own 64- and 144-car passenger ferries.

Employees and customers of Alaska Ship and Drydock will notice little change after the transition, Vigor promises in its release.

“The purchase of ASD by Vigor will increase the capacity and competitiveness of the Ketchikan Shipyard in many ways,” said ASD owner Randy Johnson, a Ketchikan resident who has directed operations at KSY since 1994. “Positioning Ketchikan and the State of Alaska to not only continue our high level of service to existing customers, but to significantly participate in exciting new markets emerging in the North Pacific and Arctic Oceans,” he said. Johnson would become Vice Chairman of ASD under Vigor.

Taking Johnson’s place as President, Adam Beck will juggle ASD with his current duties as general manager of the Vigor Marine subsidiary’s regional operations. Beck worked at the Ketchikan yard for five years prior to joining Vigor Industrial in Portland, according to Vigor’s press release.

“We see a tremendous opportunity here to work with Alaska residents to grow maritime jobs and industry from Oregon to the Arctic,” Frank Foti, Vigor Industrial owner and CEO said.

The combined companies would offer a full range of ship building, repair and modernization services, large-scale fabrication facilities, specialty coatings and other industrial services. And customers will find space in its 10 drydocks, more than 17,000 feet of pier space.